Wings of forgiveness
by Aequanoctis
Summary: Quistis is dead, Seifer is being slowly eaten by his own demons. In the darkness, a choice must be made. Still time for second chances? Seiftis
1. Wing of despair

Wings of Forgiveness by Aequanoctis  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter one: Wing of despair  
  
  
  
Balamb City at night. Calm, noiseless and sweet, with the fresh smell of salt and seaweed lingering above. Almost all the houses were now dark, as it was nearing 2 in the morning, but a few windows still shone with yellowish light, most of them opened to let out the heavy smoke of several hundreds burned cigarette.  
  
The door opened on a huge man with a proeminent belly and bald head. Behind him, tiny footsteps, only material proofs of her presence, didn't covered the booming of the music and the drunken conversation. The door closed with a loud "BOOM" and she quickly headed for the stairs that led to the second floor, where the bedrooms were. There were six of them, all occupied at this hour of the night. Moans and giggling could be heard from some of them, but the one she stood in front of was silent.  
  
The rusty hinges creaked as the door was slowly pushed forward, the slight opening barely enough to let her slide into the room. Her invisible nose frowned at the stench floating around. Alcohol and sweat and sex had melted together and were so heavily hanging around, it was almost material. The bolt lock slid into place, she checked it several times before releasing her hold on the invisibility spell and going back to her normal form.  
  
She wasn't particularly short, nor she was tall. She wore a dark purple velvet dress and black boots. Her long brown hair, slightly curled at the end, fell on her back in waves, and reached her butt. She had nice eyes, where light brown met sparkles of green. It was in fact her only remarkable feature. The rest of her was just plain anonym. Not ugly, not ungraceful. But In her mortal life, she had been one of those girls nobody really noticed, always standing around people that used her to enhance their own features. Using the wrong methods to find her own way in a world she felt like she didn't belonged to, she died young, while she lived in the streets, of a cheaply refined dose of haste she injected herself. Her heart, already weakened by several restless weeks of street life, didn't make it.  
  
She hadn't accomplished her purpose in her short lifetime, they told her. "Go back to the humans, Beth." They told her.  
  
Sometimes she regretted it. Like in this particular moment, when she laid her gaze on the sleeping man. His short blonde hair, matted and greasy, circling an harmonious face, marked with a long scar and pain. Even in sleep, he wasn't relaxed. In fact she could tell he was having a nightmare right now, but there's nothing she could do about it.  
  
Another form, which she hadn't noticed at first, stirred against him. A hooker, lured at the bar with cheap alcohol. Hyne this man was far, far away lost in his own hell. Well, it was time to clean up this life a bit.  
  
The bedside table was litterally crushed under several huge bottles. Opening one, she lightly smelled its content and immediatly pushed the offending thing away from her nose. That gin was even worst that the one she used to drown her sorrows in when she was sixteen. And he had been living off this shit for two years? She moved to the small bathroom and emptied the bottles one by one, before filling them with water and putting them back on the table. Next, she found the small backpack where he kept his belongings. At the very bottom, she found a small velvet box, once black but turned gray from time's work. It was filled with several doses of fine shots of haste, float and esuna. Mixed with the booze, it turned him into a wild beast more than once. In fact, Fanny, his former guardian, told her he had killed at least three people under the influence of those substances. Another great reason to do what she did, Beth thought as she watched the tiny packages flush down the toilet.  
  
She briefly inspected the room once again. Nothing else needed her help, apart maybe from his clothes. And that would wait until the morning. Sighing, she unlocked the door, chose the cleanest-looking chair on the room and sat down waiting for time to pass.  
  
  
  
-))**I**((-  
  
  
  
Seifer woke up a few minutes past noon, his body fueled with adrenalin as soon as conscience went back to him. His stomach instantly turned over, but he already has vomited before crashing down on the bed, and had nothing left to throw up.  
  
Well, it was still time to work this out, he thought as his hand automatically snatched the nearest bottle from the bedside table and brought the neck to his dry lips, only to choke on the content and spit it all over the floor, swearing at the whole world and the heaven above for changing the love of his present life, keeper of his what little was left of his sanity, into water. The woman beside him jumped down the bed to avoid his flying fists, quickly gathered the few clothes she wore the night before and ran out of the room followed by the bottle which luckily for her missed and crashed against the doorway. Hands already trembling from the effects of cold turkey, Seifer snatched the other bottles one by one only to find them all filled with the same liquid as the first. How that was possible? He needed his shot of forgetfulness, he needed it right now, he was sweating profusely and his breathing was coming in shallow panting. Out of other choices, Seifer dove into his backpack for the magic doses. They were worth a lot, being amonsgt the purest he could find, and he usually sold them when he needed money, but right now he couldn't care less, he was starting to FEEL and it was killing him.  
  
"Searching for something?"  
  
Seifer was absolutely sure she wasn't there the second before, but there she was, slouching over his naked body as he fumbled inside the backpack. His first reaction was of course to throw a couple of punches in her direction, but it only met a wave of cold air and she was still there, exactly where he had hit. Smiling with mockery and something deeper, concern, maybe?  
  
"It's not in there anymore" The girl said.  
  
"Then where it is?"  
  
"Right now? Probably floating its way down to the ocean stream. Should reach Dollet by next week. Why? You needed it?"  
  
Seifer's head felt horribly light and heavy at the same time. Only one thought crossed his mind. Jump on her and kill her, right now, right there. He killed in the past for less than that. And she wasn't moving, still hanging above him like a Hyne-damned mother figure. His fists clenched and unclenched and then he couldn't take it any more, and he threw himself at her in hope to choke her to death and be done with it all. Meeting only cold air once again, he landed against the wall. A snapping sound and sharp pain in his shoulder made him hisses as he understood something inside him had definitely moved when it wasn't supposed to.  
  
"Stupid. You broke a bone. Will it distract you from homicide for a while? Or should I lock you in the bathroom until you sober up?"  
  
"I AM fucking sober and that's why I am homicidal!" He hissed at her form standing above him.  
  
"Well I am happy to announce you you'll have to control yourself. AND stay sober. How does that sounds mmh?"  
  
Seifer stood back on his feet and, still seeing red, jumped again, missed again and knocked himself out on the bed's metallic railing. Another snap and this time he was yelling in pain.  
  
"Here goes another bone, stupid. Are you done? Because I have quite a few things to say to you."  
  
"Fuck you. Leave me alone."  
  
"You've been left alone for two years, and look what you've done to yourself."  
  
"This is my body. I can do whatever I want with it."  
  
"And destroy those who loved you along the way, like it happened a few years ago? Oh, what a nice way to live. I'm impressed, really."  
  
Seifer knew exactly what she was talking about. Or, rather, who she was talking about. The question was, how did she learned about this? Nobody knew what happened. He never told anyone, and the only other person who known about this was gone. Gone by his fault, because of his own over- inflated ego.  
  
"How do you know?" He finally asked, voice low and full of many threats he knew he couldn't bring to life.  
  
"I know everything about you, Seifer Adam Almasy. You still don't get it, do you?"  
  
"Get what?"  
  
The girl moved back a bit and took a deep breath, holding her hands high above her head. A slight buzzing sound came from behind her, and her already pale skin started to turn bright white, almost glowing, as a pair of feathery wings flared and spread at their full length. Each of them was a good two meters and a half long and looked very heavy although the girl wore them like they weighted nothing but a single feather. The top of the wing was bright blue, turning into green as it went down, and with spots of yellow here and there. Mesmerised, Seifer followed the path of a blue feather slowly drifting down to his lap before daring to confront the hard stare of the girl.  
  
"What are you? What is your business with me? " He asked, defeated.  
  
"Time has come to pay your debt, Almasy."  
  
  
  
-))**I**((  
  
  
  
Okay it is short. But I didn't wanted to spoil all the fun in the first chapter :) Hope you're pleased with it so far, and even if you aren't, please review!! Thanks! 


	2. Wing of Regret

Chapter 2: Wing of regret  
  
  
  
"You're broken. Destroyed. I am afraid if I breathe in your direction, you might turn into dust and disappear. This is so very sad."  
  
"I know."  
  
"You know? How hard have you really tried to get away with it?"  
  
"I tried with everything I had."  
  
"No, Almasy, you never tried. You ran away like a coward, away from yourself and your old life. You covered yourself up in all the dirt of Gaia and waited for the whole world to walk on your back because you felt that you deserved it. But did you ask yourself what led you to this path? Did you try to improve? Never."  
  
"I...I'm so sorry.."  
  
"Being sorry is useless, Seifer."  
  
Her hand on his shoulder made him jump from both surprise and pain, the broken part of his collarbone screeching against each other.  
  
"And pain isn't the answer."  
  
White sparks whizzed around him, their effect stronger than curaga. Not only did the broken bones in his body immediately healed, but he also found himself completely sober, his mind fresh as if he had just woken up from a long, restful sleep. For the first time in two years, Seifer felt young, and felt alive.  
  
"You're an angel?" He finally asked finding his voice soft and rich, more like the old version of him, the one who stalked students in the Garden's hallways as the head of the disciplinary committee.  
  
"Angel is a rather large concept, but it would be the nearest."  
  
"Why have you come to me? Why now? I've been leading this life for so long."  
  
"Your time has been given to you as a test, Seifer. And you failed. You used that time to turn yourself into a waste of the human kind. So it have been decided that your life was going to an end."  
  
Seifer's breathing caught in his throat. Death. How many lonely nights have he spend all awake cradling a bottle, and wishing upon death to descend and get him? And why, why he didn't killed himself before? The answer hit him hard and tears quickly gathered in his emerald eyes, before falling down his cheeks like a spring fountain. He was afraid, so very afraid of dying. That's why he left all of his demons cover him and eat him until there was nothing left of the old Seifer but shreds and rags. He wanted to live, just didn't knew how. And now, he would never have the chance to find out.  
  
"You..you're here to kill me?" He whispered, his voice shaky.  
  
The angel shook her head. "No. Taking a human life is well under the powers that have been given to me. I am a messenger, and above all, a guardian."  
  
"Guardian?"  
  
"You have been blessed a last chance, Seifer. Your purpose in life has not yet been done. As a dead man, your soul will be processed and given my form. You would become a guardian angel like me, a servant of the heavenly deeds. We offer you to follow the path you have been granted the day you were born, and die a free soul."  
  
"What will become of me?"  
  
"whatever you will choose."  
  
Seifer's tears were now running like a river full of melting snow. He could no longer hold the hard whimpers. He tried to get back on his feet and confront the apparition but only succeeded in stumbling down on all fours, at her feet. But he wouldn't mind pleading, not at all, if it meant staying alive.  
  
"I don't want to die!"  
  
"Unfortunately, there isn't anything you can do against their will." Beth pointed a sharp nail at the ceiling. "You can prepare yourself to it. And understand. But above all, you must prepare yourself for the fate that have been laid upon your soul the very day your were created."  
  
"Please." His voice was barely audible.  
  
"As I told you, their will if way above yours. You have no choice, Seifer. You had the choice for two years and chose the wrongest path of all the wrongs."  
  
"What was I supposed to do?"  
  
"It is not my job to answer this. You probably know the answer anyway. As for now, I will leave you. Prepare yourself. Think. And for once, face yourself and the mistake you did."  
  
Her long hand slid under the blonde's chin, cradling the rough skin in her palm and lifting his head to meet her smiling face.  
  
"Will you?" She asked.  
  
"."  
  
"As you wish."  
  
The long wings slowly slid back in their sheath, her skin losing the moony white glow. On a last gesture of goodbye, Beth moved back to the invisible world. Seifer heard the footsteps lead back to the door, then the slight squeaking of it being opened and closed. Her steps led her down the stairs where they drew the attention of a few men who were still sober enough to hear them. The front door opened on a wild sea wind, only to be delicately closed back. Smiling at her own prank on those poor unhealthy souls, Beth walked down the main street and to the pier, where she knew Seifer's victim waited for her to return with fresh news.  
  
  
  
(~I~)  
  
  
  
About fifteen minutes later, by the time she reached the harbor, the icy wind had already turned into a storm. The swollen sea was crashing back and forth, filled with the heavy rain coming from the low clouds. Beth could actually feel the coldness of the rain against her skin, but it wasn't at all uncomfortable to her. As for most angels, the world of human feelings was a closed chapter for her, and where any human would find himself frozen, she only felt a dim sting of something, almost a tickle.  
  
That's why she wasn't at all surprised to find her friend down the pier, a meter or so above sea level, where a border of sharp rocks had been dumped to form a natural protection against erosion. She was sitting cradled between two rocks, her legs bent and encircled by her pale arms, and her pensive face resting on the top of her knees. Her long hair, blonde as honey, fell limply around her head and down her legs. When she was standing up, it reached her bottom. They were shorter the day her life ended, but she chose this appearance for her immortal form, explaining, with a faint blush, that her job as a SeeD always forced her to keep them shorter than she would have liked them to be. She wasn't at all disturbed by the constant splashing of water around her, even though she was barefoot and wearing only a long-sleeved, white cotton dress. In fact, none of their clothes were even wet. Beth carefully slid down the rocks and sat down beside the blonde, sighing.  
  
"You're still trying to hide from people, aren't you? You know they can't see you if you don't want them to. Why do you keep running from them?"  
  
The blonde sighed through perfect raspberry lips. "I don't know. I just can't stand to walk amongst humans. Not yet. I feel like they can all see me. Like they're staring at me. I guess I'm not accustomed yet. And I know some people could still see me. If someone."  
  
"What, if someone still doesn't believe you're dead? Come on girl, it's been two years! If someone still believed you were alive, they had to be seriously fucked-up! Everyone saw your corpse in the coffin. You had national funerals, broadcasted everywhere. From Balamb to Deling to Centra and even in Shumi Village, they know you are no longer alive. So stop worrying Quistis."  
  
"Yeah.I guess I should."  
  
"You're still young. It will pass. After a few centuries, trust me, you'll be all right."  
  
Quistis laughed along with Beth, knowing the hidden pain under her joke. Beth was one of the lowest-ranked angels around. She was born in a good family, had loving parents, a good home, several sisters and a brother who loved her and protected her. She could have found her way quickly. But she chose to selfishly drown herself in the few sorrows she had, refused to seek for help and eventually destroyed everyone who loved her. She had already served for eight centuries and had at least ten more to come, if she kept following the rules. And even if she regretted her actions as a human, Beth perfectly knew regrets were useless.  
  
"You want to know how he is going?" Beth asked, serious again  
  
"...Yes."  
  
"Bad."  
  
"How bad?"  
  
"Very bad."  
  
"Beth."  
  
"What else do you want me to say? That he will get through it? No way. Their decision is not gonna change."  
  
".I hoped. Will he do it?"  
  
"I chose to let him swallow the idea of his own death for tonight. I didn't talk about it yet. But I will tomorrow, promise."  
  
Quistis only drew her knees tighter against her chest, feeling a shudder that has nothing to do with coldness crept on her spine.  
  
"How horrible.it must be to know your end is near.to know it."  
  
"He's been slowly killing himself for the last 24 months or so. Quistis, stop feeling sorry for him. What he became, he wanted it."  
  
"Can I."  
  
"No, you're not coming with me tomorrow. I already worked my little immortal butt out just to get you allowed to come down to Balamb. Even Fanny couldn't come. So you do as I say."  
  
"Yes of course."  
  
Beth's hard eyes grew softer with a bit of remorse. As a living person, she used to be rough. And being dead didn't change anything to her temper.  
  
"You know the rules, don't you? Please don't get yourself in trouble for him.nor anyone."  
  
"yeah."  
  
"Let's get back."  
  
Both silently stood up mechanically straightening their clothes. Quistis' wings slowly unfolded from their sheath, their luminous green and red colors faded by the grayness around them. Beth waited until Quistis was midway in the air before forcing hers out and following the blonde's tracks.  
  
  
  
(~I~)  
  
  
  
For a good hour and a half after Beth's departure, Seifer stood naked on the same exact spot, in the same exact pose he had the moment she walked out the door. His now totally sober brain rapidly analyzing what little have been said, and only two words standing out of the mess: Death, coward. Death, coward. Death, coward. The words kept repeating inside his head, echoing endlessly against what his friends of then used to call 'His damn thick skull'  
  
That reminded him of why, two years ago, he had chosen this path. What could be worst than having to think of himself, of the failure he had become the day of Quistis' last breath? Surely death couldn't be as bad. His cold body would return to Gaia. His liberated spirit would...would what? Suffer more? Suffer less? Just damn WHAT?  
  
Coward. Yes that described him just fine. He always escaped and he would still, even with a damn reaper standing behind him. What else could he do, damnit? Accept? No, never. He had made a hell of his life in purpose, to make sure she would get her revenge on what he did to her. Righteous suffering.  
  
And right now that suffering had to be mixed with his best friend, booze. Then he'd just throw a match to inflame the whole mess. That's how it felt right.  
  
His decision made, Seifer slowly stood up to avoid the insane beating inside his skull. He grabbed the clothes from the night before, a pair of dark brown pants stained with things he chose not to think about, and a tight light gray sleeveless shirt that had seen way better days. He slid the black shoes on his feet without bothering to put socks before, then shoved the few gils he had in his front right pocket, along with the key of the room. He already knew he'd still have to rent it in order to have a place to crash after this night.  
  
  
  
(~I~)  
  
Yep ladies another short one! I just HAD to cut there, so hurt my muses, not me (will be posting the muses' name and addresses soon for your threatening pleasure * wink * 


	3. Wing of remembrance

Disclaimer: All characters who are not in the game belongs to me (Ah, trying to be positive here.) Squaresoft selfishly keeps the others locked.  
  
Lil warning-lemon in this chappy. Mild, but there none-the-less :P Sorry if it sucks, I read an awful amount of lemon but I rarely write it.  
  
(~I~)  
  
  
  
Chapter 3: Wing of remembrance  
  
  
  
  
  
The storm lasted all night long, but the sun had finally risen over a calm, pink sea. The streets of Balamb, still dripping wet from the rain glittered in the faint light. It was way too early, on this Saturday morning, for most Balamb people to sneak out of their bed, let alone wander in the streets.  
  
Quistis always asked for this time to go down on Gaia. Her reasons were no secrets to anybody: Quistis had panic when confronted to crowds, or to living humans in general. That was in fact part of the reason why she had been thrown at Beth for her "education"  
  
Beth could clearly remember Quistis' terror when she forced her to land directly in the middle of an overcrowded street on Balamb's spring Festival. It had broke her heart in several pieces and for the first time in her centuries of work, Beth had felt pity. She had since then given up the idea of forcing her blonde friend into anything else. Time would teach her what Beth couldn't. Meanwhile, the people 'up' had seen that Quistis also had a good influence on grumpy Beth, so they decided that sticking both of them together for a couple centuries would be a good thing. Beth, however, wasn't that sure. But she loved the girl, and had to admit living with her was far easier than with a lot of other angels she had met in her long overdeath life.  
  
As always, they had drifted amongst the strong ocean winds on a few kilometers before entering the harbor of Balamb, barely large enough to have a cargo anchored. Beth always fled several meters away from Quistis, in case something happened to the fragile woman. Behind her, Another angel fled, her bright yellow and orange wings spread full width to catch the heat of the rising sun. Her curled mid-long red hair and tiny silver glasses covering very pale green eyes made her look like the teacher's pet, which was very far from the truth. In fact Fanny was illiterate, never being able to go to school dues to extreme poverty and later, general uncaring. Being a pretty ill kid, with almost no immune defenses, she was rarely admitted to go out of the small house her family inhabited. However, at the pretty tender age of sixteen, she decided to run away, in spite of her now confirmed anemia and general state of weakness. Three months later, she was pregnant, and seven months later, dead from many complications dues to her fragile health not allowing a baby to grow properly.  
  
From what she was told, that baby she hadn't even been able to give birth to, would have been a great warrior, and Headmaster of Trabia Garden. From what they told her, he would have been the one able to stop a missile attack on Trabia, a few years ago. If she had waited a few years, her pregnancy would have ended up with a baby-hero. Her mistake resulted in many useless deaths. If only she had waited a few more years.but regrets were only added pain in the world she now lived in.  
  
Above Balamb's harbor, Beth gave the landing signal for everyone. Amongst quite a few things, Quistis had real troubles with her landing, and this day was no exception. While Beth and Fanny gracefully used their wings to decrease their speed until their feet touched the ground, Quistis miscalculated the distance between her and the asphalt, and ended up painfully bumping on her bottom, her wings sprawled around her in a mess of water, mud and feathers. Fanny laughed, Beth shook her head while helping the poor humiliated thing back on her feet.  
  
"You know," Quistis began, barely murmuring, "Back in the old times I was the mighty Quistis Trepe, and nothing ever failed when I was around. Now look at me. I'm happy to be dead so no-one can see me."  
  
That made everyone laugh  
  
"Let's go." Beth said, breaking the silliness of the moment. Faces went back to their stone-like expression. Their wings slid back in their sheaths as they started walking up the main road, Beth and Fanny walking first and Quistis following, slightly hoping the moment where they would have to part wasn't going to happen today.  
  
Of course, she knew the moment would come, and it came quickly. Beth looked over her shoulder at the white-clad blonde and pronounced the accursed words:  
  
"Off limits, now. You stay here."  
  
Quistis nodded and stopped dead on her tracks. Beth nodded back, and they started walking again.  
  
"Aren't you a little rough on her?" Fanny murmured to her friend as soon as Quistis turned her back to them.  
  
"Need to. Sometimes she won't listen. And I already have enough work without having to monitor her whereabouts."  
  
"Oh you altruist hard-worker."  
  
The door of the hotel-bar kept Beth from formulating one of her famous bitter reply. Silently, they slid their immortal forms in the main room. Not surprisingly, it was silent, with the exception of the snoring of an old drunk who apparently crashed down between two table and was unable to move. Fanny's nose wrinkled at the sour smell of sweat, alcohol and vomit. How could anybody possibly live in this cowshed? The look in Beth's face showed nothing but disinterest. She had seen far worse than this place, and would probably see much worse soon. Silently, her leading steps made their way up the stairs, where they knew Seifer laid. Same room. Sober, they prayed.  
  
Prayers unanswered, once again, Beth thought bitterly as soon as the heavy breath of one really messed-up Seifer exhaled whiskey stench through the room. He laid on his stomach on the thin, dirty mattress. Again, a small body laid curled on his side, almost swallowed by his massive frame. Bottles on the nightstand, bottles on the floor.  
  
"Back to the starting point, do not collect anything..." Beth whispered wearily. This was one damn thick skull. Too bad he had not choice but to obey. Just in case, she started formulating a very useful soundproof magic wall she had learned from Aaron, one of the low-ranked angels that helped her in the Almasy case. A light smell of burnt paper told her it worked.  
  
This time Beth certainly didn't felt like cleaning and playing mind games waiting for his Majesty to wake up and yell. On common agreement, Beth grabbed the hooker by the waist while Fanny opened the room's only window and held it open so her companion could throw the annoying screaming thing out. Meanwhile, Seifer had fallen out of bed but chosen to simply sit on the floor watching the pair works, not really surprised and perfectly knowing the worst was yet to come.  
  
The bottles followed the prostitute.  
  
"There, done." Beth finally said, and cast curaga and esuna on him. Immediately the hangover faded, and he found himself back to insane reality. "Ready?"  
  
"For what?" The blonde snarled at her.  
  
"To go fishing, dumbass!" Beth snarled back with equal hostility.  
  
"Hey!" Fanny quickly separated them with her body before they started fighting. Seifer cast a furious glance at her and lost a bit of it's bearing.  
  
"I know you, don't I?" He asked inspecting her freckles-covered face and clear aquamarine eyes.  
  
"Sure." She answered smiling to reveal perfect pearl teeth and sharp canines. You've seen me everyday of your life. Not necessarily noticed me, but I was there.  
  
"You were there?" He repeated dumbly.  
  
"Everywhere. Remember that time you settled Zell's mattress on fire when you were a kid?"  
  
"Uh yeah."  
  
"And never wondered why you never got caught and punished for it?"  
  
"Well yeah.but it's not very clear in my head."  
  
"Oh is it? You ran away like a coward while the fire threatened to get the whole place. You were calling Zell the cry-baby, but you weren't exactly an example of courage either."  
  
"Hey, who-"  
  
"Haven't you figured that out yet? I have wings. I kept following you since your birth. Need any more clues?"  
  
".I never actually believed in guardian angels."  
  
"Well now you do."  
  
"You're my guardian?"  
  
"Well not anymore. They relieved me from my functions a couple months ago, when they realized you were not likely going to change you self-destructive ways with yourself. You didn't need me anymore. So I left. I am on standby right now. They're gonna affect me to someone else soon."  
  
Seifer looked deceived.  
  
"You know, I've always thought guardians were only taking care of one person in their lives."  
  
"Now aren't you the romantic type!" Beth snorted from her corner.  
  
"We're affected to only one person at a time, if that can be of any comfort. But we have centuries and centuries to hold on before we get forgiven. What do you expect us to be doing through all these years?"  
  
"Uh.."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Now will you excuse me but we have business to do." Beth cut through the moment and slightly pulled Fanny out of the way. "Seifer we've came back to explain to you the terms of the bargain I've offered you earlier."  
  
"There was no bargain since I never accepted it in the first place anyway."  
  
"Oh is it?" Beth asked.  
  
"Yeah!" He barked aggressively.  
  
Beth sighed. "We're never going to be good with each other, Almasy. We're too much alike. And you know that if you're not going to cooperate, Fanny and I here will give you a reason."  
  
Beth nodded to Fanny who was now sitting beside Seifer on the mattress. Fanny who spent every moment of his life beside him, a hand on his shoulder. She shared his burdens, ate his meals, slept in his beds. Briefly, as she touched the point in the exact middle between his eyes, Seifer thought about how his life would have turned out to be if he had known, from the very beginning, that he was never going to be alone.  
  
Then his eyes slid shut, and he felt himself fall into a vivid dream.  
  
  
  
  
  
(~I~)  
  
  
  
  
  
Flashback # 1-Balamb Garden  
  
Morning sun settled over their shared bed. Seifer was the first to wake up, as the light coming from above him, through the thin curtains, always annoyed him. Slowly, he drew his numb arm from under Quistis' still sleeping form, drawing a small unconscious whimper from her. The standard size SeeD bed was definitely not fitting for a couple, but they had no choice, since Quistis had more and more trouble getting sleep in an empty bed. After a year and a half of tight relationship, it just had to happen.  
  
Seifer lazily stretched and checked the bedside clock. Near eight in the morning. Quite early for a Saturday. He turned his back to the sleeping Quistis and tried to go back to sleep.  
  
Half an hour later, he had to admit he was not going to sleep any more that morning.  
  
Quistis sighed behind him, and he felt her shift until her chest pressed against his back, and a long, soft arm slid around his waist to hug him closer. Seifer smiled and turned to face his love, whom quickly welcomed him with a breath-taking, not innocent at all kiss. The blonde woman's eyes kept shut but she smiled and leaned closer to him, her hands losing their sleepy dumbness to freely roam over him, his chiseled, broad shoulders and strong arms. Seifer felt light-headed, as he always felt when she touched him, held him, made him feel desired in every part of himself, even the less nice ones. Happily for his balance, another part of him was feeling substantially heavy.  
  
Quistis scowled when the arms that only held her at first started to constrict around her willowy frame, cutting all means of escape from her boyfriend's heightening desire. She had only been awake for a few minutes and felt dizzy. She wanted to go back to sleep. A long finger gently traced the side of her head, starting from the sensitive spot behind her ear and sliding down her neck to the junction of her shoulder. This time she moaned and tried to push his hand away, but Seifer was not the kind of man to accept a refusal without testing his victim's limits.  
  
A victim that was already quite weakened by the time Seifer's hand got to quit teasing her incredibly smooth, slightly rounded belly to dive down between her eagerly parted legs. She cried out, a sound that could have woken up the entire dormitory, if he hadn't took the time to cover her mouth with his other hand first, then with his mouth. No matter the time of the night or day, she always kept that strange and utterly arousing taste of raspberries. The smell of the wild berries also kept lingering around her, nestled in her golden blonde locks, in the crook of her neck, and under her breast. Natural perfume. So enticing.  
  
Quistis pulled her lips away from his and gasped for air. Seifer only tightened his grip on the small sensitive nub between her legs, milking arousing moans and cries from her heavenly mouth. Soon enough her hands rhythmically constricted against his arms and she savagely bit the skin where his neck met his shoulder, breaking the skin. The blonde man howled in pain and tried to get her teeth off the bleeding wound. No luck, she held on to it for her dear life, actually sucking the blood off it. Seifer growled but finally settled down and closed his eyes, letting her do whatever she wanted off him. Rich idea, he thought as he felt the luscious body shift and settle on top of him. A burning palm slid down his toned, sun-kissed chest, amusing itself with the sensitive nipples, the thin patch of golden hair, the curves that erupted with goose bump at every stroke. Seifer groaned in her mouth, which had finally left the painful skin to head back to his, where the taste of his own blood sensually lingered. But she actually waited for his vocal efforts to grow louder, more irritated, before giving him what he wanted, the hard, demanding squeeze on his engorged manhood. Quistis liked to be in charge of everything. Sex with her was a fight for dominance, a struggle she won without any resistance that morning, and cried in pleasure and victory while he slid helplessly inside her.  
  
As a teen Seifer had fucked more than one pretty girl in Garden. In fact, his sexual prowess had been turned into legends even since his first year at the mercenary school. But no-one had ever possessed him like the gorgeous blonde woman had. Not even Ultimecia, who held him in a dream-like haze for several months, yet still never succeeded to beat his rebellious temper. Quistis, the same bossy instructor he had learned to laugh at in his early Garden years, had turned him in just like a lap dog. She held him on a tight leash without even trying.  
  
And it worth every moment with that leash, he was sure of it. Her body shone with sweat and writhed beautifully above him, lost in a sensual haze that seemed to swallow him all. So intense, so concentrated. He briefly wondered if anyone else than him ever saw her as beautiful as she was at that very moment. He hoped not.  
  
Quistis' body moved slowly at first, as her hands gripped the firm hills of his chest. Seifer in return grabbed her by the waist, making her whimper half in pleasure, half in irritation of being controlled. That made him smile, the cocky smile he loved so much, and his hands migrated from the soft valleys to her breast, where they gripped the burning flesh and molested the knotted nipples. The blonde woman in return accelerated the pace of her trusting, until she was literally slamming against him, the distinct and arousing sound of flesh slapping filling the room. Seifer's hands had left her tender body to clutch at the bedsheets, helpless against the first waves of ecstasy that crashed against him. Pityless, she only rode him harder until her cries matched his, and her convulsing heat welcomed his spilled essence. Only then did the battle end and did they became lovers again. Quistis' body collapsed on him, boneless and exhausted, while he encased her trembling frame in a powerful embrace, savoring the last feels of her heat around his softening erection.  
  
If someone had told him, two years ago, that he was to tie his life to that wonderful girl, he would have laugh out loud at the face of the fucker and knocked him out with Hyperion. He once loathed her with every bit of his soul, knowing the hate was only a distorted form of the lust he felt at the same time. After Ultimecia's war, Seifer had been readmitted to Garden, taking back his old spot in the disciplinary committee and finally achieving his SeeD training to get to level 12. He and Quistis had become closer than they had ever been since their forgotten childhood, especially after said childhood started coming back to their memories, and they discovered that back then, they had been quite the little lovebirds. Seifer's stubbornness and cocky behavior hadn't changed a lot, but strangely Quistis didn't seem to be as bothered by it as she used to in her instructor days. In fact she finally admitted to him, a night of strange drunken wonders, that she always found it quite fascinating.  
  
The kiss that followed had told him everything else he might need to know about her.  
  
(~I~)  
  
"FUCKING STOP IT!!!"  
  
The scream was high-pitched and piercing, the sound of a wounded beast that didn't cared for it's image anymore. Fanny hadn't the time to remove her finger from his scarred flesh before receiving a powerful blow that sent her crashing to the ground, rolling a few times before getting her spinning head to think straight. Seifer rolled over on the bed and curled his body into a fetal position, holding his head with both hands. Nothing would fly out of this room, as the soundproof barrier held still, but Beth winced, hoping she hadn't made a mistake while formulating the spell, or they would soon have the whole place at the door.  
  
"Do not EVER fuck with my mind like this!" Seifer yelled between two sobs at the still dizzy angel on the floor.  
  
"We didn't invent anything, Seifer. Just brought back things you have been drowning for the past years."  
  
Seifer's body on collapsed further "Sorry.sorry for being so weak, and for not saving her."  
  
"No. Being sorry is useless. Regrets are useless. You'll learn that soon enough. Now are you ready to hear us?"  
  
Seifer sighed shakily. "Ready."  
  
"Great. Fanny?"  
  
"Right. Well as Beth probably showed you, souls can't be delivered and led into immortal life without having to pay first for the unachievement of their mortal lives. She did explain this to you, but did you understood?"  
  
"I think.."  
  
"He did." Beth cut. "Go on."  
  
"Okay then you're probably also aware that your own life is coming to an end. A tumor the size of a pea is currently sheathing itself inside your brain. It's localization will make it impossible for specialists to remove it. They made sure of that up above."  
  
"How long before I die?"  
  
"I'd say four months, not much more. It will grow quicker than usual tumors. And makes more damages. And at the end, you'll be paralyzed. That's it. Quick and clean."  
  
"Great."  
  
"Indeed. Now you also know that your purpose in life have not yet been done. And is quite impossible to realize, in fact, since the other person you needed-and I think I don't have to name her-is already dead. But things are, we really need this to be done, so They agreed to give you a second chance."  
  
"Second chance."  
  
"Chaos will arise from Gaia if your purpose is not done. This is going to be A LOT more serious to deal with it than to deal with your own stubborn stupidity. You have the choice to accept."  
  
"And if I refuse?" Seifer's aggressiveness was swiftly returning to him.  
  
"You won't refuse."  
  
"Ah. Good one."  
  
"You won't refuse. Trust us on this."  
  
"And how do you plan to force me?"  
  
"Fucking thick skull!" Beth yelled at him. "You have ABSOLUTELY NO MOTHERFUCKING IDEA how meaningless and small your own STUPID life is compared to the future of the universe! Get down your fucking pillar!"  
  
Seifer was starting to get seriously pissed off at his company. The headache, along with the dry mouth and longing for drunken peace, was coming back, and he wanted to leave this place quick.  
  
"If you aren't going to walk with us, we're going to force you."  
  
"Try to." Seifer snarled. He gave a look to Hyperion's case, beside the bed. Knowing how useless it was.  
  
"Fine." Beth snarled back, voice rising a good octave.  
  
Just then, a light knock was heard against the door. Beth jumped knowing the soundproof wall was supposed to work both ways and block any sound. But the knocking came back and she knew who it had to be.  
  
"Quistis, I told you to stay back!"  
  
The door opened slowly and Seifer thought he was dreaming, seeing the most exquisite version of his lifetime love appearing. The long white dress nicely clung to her like no other clothes had ever been. Her longer hair fell down her back in golden waves, shorter bangs hanging from the front and caressing her cheeks. She was pale, very pale, even paler than the snow he remember her lying in, in the last minutes of her short life.  
  
For a moment he stood still, his body so rigid that he would have shattered if someone had touched him. Quistis stood on the doorstep, eyes connected with his, a slight smile on her lips.  
  
Cerulean eyes that glittered in the darkness.  
  
Then he fainted.  
  
  
  
(~I~)  
  
  
  
  
  
I am just no fun, aren't I? *laugh* sorry for making you wait another chapter to know what exactly is the thing Seifer needs to do. I just didn't feel like telling you right now :P :P :P  
  
*ducks avoiding flying axes and knives*  
  
  
  
**Note** I think I will maybe have to explain my concept of the angels soon, so why not right now? :) They are not *Over mighty*, they cannot communicate telepathically, nor locate each other in distance. They can call each other, but never knowing who can hear. They can destroy and rebuild, but all of their powers depends of their rank. Beth and Fanny being pretty low in rank, they don't have much powers. Quistis would be higher.  
  
Thanks for listening, we're now returning to our normal program. 


	4. Wing of reunion

Disclaimer: I would rather eat my own leg in barbecue sauce rather than lying to you. And I don't own them. Some minor videogame company does. Kurse them.  
  
  
  
  
  
(~I~)  
  
  
  
Chapter 4: Wing of reunion  
  
  
  
Quistis sighed and laid a delicate hand on Seifer's forehead, sitting beside her ex-lover on the dirty bed he had slept on for nearly a month now. Afraid by how thin he had become, she had spread one of her green and red wing over his body to keep him warm. She had been told more than once of the lamentable state he was in. But the reality had hit her harder than any spell. Seifer had once been a tall, muscled warrior, with nothing but strength and willpower emanating from him, but now only the bones and skin remained. His arms, which had killed T-Rexaurs after T-Rexaurs and protected a sorceress, where half as muscled as they used to be, and un- esthetically planted in weak shoulders. Strange wine-colored marks seemed to have grown all over him, thankfully stopping before his face, which was now dug with various, deep marks of past battles and pain. Under his eyes, the flesh had turned a strange mix of garnet and violet.  
  
"You know you might get in real trouble for this." Beth's hard voice cut through her morbid contemplation of the soon-to-be cadaver.  
  
"Not if you keep it private." She replied, a bit of her old instructor tone sneaking in.  
  
"Why would I? We told you to stay the hell out!" Beth's short temper kicked in.  
  
"He was my boyfriend and my lover and I am the reason he ended up this wreck. Plus, I am the key to his redemption, which I don't believe is negligible. I think it is just fair that I can take part in this."  
  
"Oh yes, we might need you again to make him pass out when we're about to tell something important. Want a contract?"  
  
"Beth." Fanny's authoritarian voice rang. Beth gave her a sheepish smile.  
  
"Sorry. Can't help myself."  
  
"Quistis, you disobeyed but we won't tell anything. Just try not to interfere in what will be coming."  
  
"I thought he would be less aggressive with me around. He always. restrained himself when we were together."  
  
"You thought. Hyne Quis, we're not alone in this mess!"  
  
"Beth." Fanny cut again before her friend went overboard again. "What's done is done. Let's wait for him to wake up and get over with it."  
  
As if summoned by Fanny's sentence, Seifer's body stirred and tensed under Quistis' feathery protection. A small moan escaped his lip when he felt Quistis' hand slide down his forehead to his right cheek, then settle on his shoulder. He opened his eyes briefly, but quickly closed them again when he saw her face just above his, and the bright feathers covering his body, and without any doubt attached to her. As much as he had wished to see her again, he discovered he wanted nothing more than her to go away. Her presence was only a harsh memo of his failure. Helpless, Seifer watched the last restrain of his mind breaks, and the memories flowed back like a spring river.  
  
(~I~)  
  
Flashback#2 Balamb Garden  
  
Shower and clothing later, they had finally gotten around to leaving his dorm, and headed to the cafeteria where the rest of the gang usually hang out when not training or in mission. Since their memories had been partially restored by giving up junctionning, they had learned to know each other and even successfully built a friendship, which was quite easy for some, as for Selphie and Quistis, but harder for others such as Seifer and Zell. The two boys didn't talked a lot to each other, in fact, but when both drunk, they had no particular problems finding common points.  
  
The sunlit hallway was full of chatting students and Instructors, most of them having a significant other near but not allowed as much as Seifer and Quistis to openly display their affection. Being a hero sure helped Quistis get away with breaking the non-dating rule, even though people still dispised her boyfriend. Most people nodded to Quistis, but ignored Seifer. He didn't cared the slightliest bit. Even though his participation in the whole Ultimecia fiasco was no longer held against him, most people in Garden, including the instructors, believed him to be a traitor, and treated him like one. His grades has taken a downward arc since long ago, until Cid himself had to take a stand for Seifer, and decided to give him the SeeD rank 6, not nearly enough and rather insulting considering his long and proven experience with gunblade, war and leadership-he had, after all, led Galbadia Garden's troops to attack Balamb and almost succeeded in taking over the place. But Seifer stopped being the scapegoat as soon as his rank over-lapped any of his detractor's, and he no longer had to attend classes.  
  
In the cafeteria, crowded as always at this time of the day, they immediately spotted the others from the orphanage gang, and joined the always reserved seats, as none of the other kids in Garden dared to join the war heroes. They sat and chatted for a while, Seifer always choosing the most embarrassing moments to slide his hand against her blonde love's butt, or lick at her neck, in the sole purpose of seeing her creamy complexion flush with embarrassment or, even better, to pick a fight with her. He loved to hear her yell at him. She has such a beautiful voice, and she was just more passionate afterwards.  
  
Seifer's hand was roughly slapped away from the cleavage he was slowly but surely getting to, and a delicate but steely grasp closed around his returning hard-on. The girly squeak resulting made the friends laugh harder, and the curious glances of hundreds of young virgin eyes turn over to him. This time, he blushed, and hard. He finished his breakfast in a run, and fled from the cafeteria to hide his shame in the training center. Quistis watched him disappear with a slight smile, knowing her hot-headed boyfriend would need to vent his humiliation for a good hour before returning to her in 'Teddy bear' mode. She and Selphie refilled their coffee mug and went on chatting about the neverending trails of rumors around Garden.  
  
Meanwhile, Seifer had ran to the deserted training center-it was Saturday morning, after all- and quickly changed before dumping his body in the grassy mudpit, in search of a group of grats or- if he had any luck- a T- Rexaur. His GF, Doomtrain, was trained enough and rarely missed his attacks. Besides, Seifer needed the biggest challenge he could find. His manliness had been scratched, after all. He trekked the area for a good hour and a half, killing everything that standed in his way with relative easy, growing more and more annoyed of only getting stupid grats and their totally inefficient sleep spells.  
  
That's why went the reverberation of a loud growl came from his right, from deep inside a patch of overgrown water grass that was beginning to look like a forest, the ex-knight merely smiled his most evil smile and dove through the hostile vegetation, his high boots diving in the soft, tricky ground with a sucking sound. With a hand, he pushed aside the thick layer of grass masking his vision, while he kept Hyperion straight with the other, in the 'ready' position he liked to display in combat. Adrenaline flooded his every muscles as another growl came from ahead, this time a lot louder, and seeming distorted. Scratching and breathing noises followed, and then Seifer noticed what, aside from the strange growling sound, wasn't exactly right. The air around him had started to heat up quickly, like a fire had been lit and a strong wind-impossible in the closed building- swept it to him. And the so-called wind smelled like burnt hair and sulphur. Definitely wrong, and Seifer's senses were now screaming at him to turn his feet in the opposite direction, get away from the center quick and alarm the SeeDs.  
  
As always, ego won over logic, and the blonde man pushed aside the annoying thoughts to focus on the main act-that creature that needed to be destroyed, and by him, only him, of course. His heart leapt with mixed fear and joy when the breathing sound actually blew a puff of the acrid smell directly in his face, shoving his hair back. The warrior in him made his pace increase, and cut short the last high plants that hid the enemy.  
  
But only the man in him faced, wide-eyed, the enormous Ruby Dragon that feasted on the remains of a T-Rexaur. The monster was truly huge, a lot bigger than any other Ruby Dragons he had seen. How such a monster could have entered the training center was a complete mystery, and Seifer couldn't care less about hypothesis. The beast had lifted his beautiful, ferocious head from his victim, dripping with a river of crimson. His yellow eyes flared with uncontrolled hate. Seifer's body instantly drenched with cold sweat. He lifted his weapon in a defensive position, summoned his GF and prepared his reflexes, ready to dodge any low blows from the monster. Doomtrain's strength filled him with confidence. He would win this battle.  
  
The couples first blows were easy to dodge, the monster trying to use its tail as a whip to take him down. Of course, Seifer has more than a little experienced with whips. Doomtrain roared and unleashed his first attack, and successfully knocked the crimson beast unconscious. The huge body fell forward. Knowing any physical attack would wake it up, Seifer concentrated and cast blizzagas after blizzagas and even used his last aura spell on himself before unleashing Bloodfest, almost sure the extremely powerful blow would kill the dragon on the spot.  
  
Surprisingly, it only woke him up, and made him furious from the pain of the countless gashes on his scaly body. Just how much HP this beast had, Seifer had no idea. While dodging several infuriated blows, the blonde man found the time and will-power to cast a scan spell on his opponent, and almost fainted in shock when he found out his attacks had taken a stupidly small amount of HP from the monster. He had to run, his conscience screamed at him. But he stayed. Just as he regained his bearings, he heard the familiar sniffing noise echoing through the place- the dragon casting 'breath' with all his lungs' power, and he was all alone against it. He stood waiting for the burning wave to hit him, fell back screaming from pain and casted curaga on himself, then called Doomtrain again.  
  
That's when he heard the high-pitched shriek coming from behind him.  
  
(~I~)  
  
Quistis had been worried seeing that his lover wasn't back from the training center after 2 hours, so she did the only thing that made sense for her: she took Save the Queen and headed for the large battle area. Following Seifer's path wasn't hard at all, considering the emptiness of the place and the close noises of fighting to her right. Without an afterthought, she launched herself.  
  
(~I~)  
  
Seifer couldn't believe his own eyes when he saw his blonde love jump out of the grass and join him just as Doomtrain finished his attack-only succeeding on casting poison on the beast. Quistis' eyes widened at the sight of the opponent, and she quickly cast aura on herself before attempting Degenerator on him. As Seifer expected, the powerful magic missed the even more powerful monster. Distantly, he heard Quistis yelling at him, telling him to just give up and run away, and alert the others. Even more distantly, he heard himself replying her not to worry about him, to run away herself. At that exact moment, the huge tail hit the roof and shattered it like a sand castle, blocks of cement and steel bars falling down on them both. Quistis cried in pain as a block hit her shoulder, but didn't leave. All the snow gathered on the roof fell on them, creating an eerie sight of fiery red shrouded in white, something like a dream. Unfortunately, it wasn't.  
  
Seifer now knew he had been unforgivably stupid not to run on the first place. But it was too late. The monster was angry enough to run after him if he did, and would endanger the whole Garden if Seifer led him out of the training center.  
  
He heard his girlfriend talk and saw in the corner of his eyes the walkie- talkie she carried everywhere, just in case. She was calling the SeeDs for help. Meanwhile, the claws and tail were flying at him. Seifer got Quistis out of his mind and focused on avoiding the blows, and preparing Doomtrain's next attack.  
  
That's when it happened.  
  
Between the still falling blocks, and the cries of Quistis trying to get him to retreat and wait for the other SeeDs, the dragon roared it's madness and threw it's large head at him, intending to rip him in two. Seifer's heart stopped beating, everything went slow motion. In a desperate move, he swept his gunblade at the nearing open mouth, staring wide-eyed at the enormous, blood-splattered teeth. The blade sliced through the unprotected skin of his mouth, the beast jumped back in pain, the primal roar quickly fading into another one, as loud but high-pitched, human, feminine.  
  
Turning toward the voice he saw what he had done, his gunblade embedded in her narrow throat, milky delicate skin sliced open and splattered with blood. Her head had been almost severed from the blow. The blade fell to the floor, followed by her. She died within seconds, but her eyes kept blinking for a while, staring at his own.  
  
Somewhere behind us, the stomping of several feet turned the dragon's attention from them both. Quistis laid on the melting snow, his face cradled in his large hand. Seifer cast curaga after curaga on her, not believing a second she could be already dead. Once dry of the curative magic, he proceeded to throw every piece of medicine he had on him, including phoenix down, and the two phoenix pinions he had. But the reviving items couldn't repair severed members, and her head was almost detached from her spine.  
  
He got up and ran. He left her lifeless form and ran, out of the training center, out of the main gate, out of Balamb Garden.  
  
(~I~)  
  
"I remember that day." He muttered under his breath. "I worked so hard to forget it. I don't want to have you near, Quis. Not unless I can hold you."  
  
Quistis sighed and looked at the two other angels. "You can hold me."  
  
"And then you will disappear. Don't think I am stupid, Quis. You're dead. I killed you. This is not you."  
  
"He's right about it, sadly." Fanny said. "But you will have to endure each other's presence for a while. The reason why we kept Quistis away from it all was to prevent you from losing your control. I have to admit fainting was far from what we had expected."  
  
"Blame it on the tumor then." Seifer replied bitterly. "Beside, I refuse to stay in her company. I-"  
  
"You will have to, sweetheart." Beth cut. "She is the key to your future freedom in death. You and her will have to lay down a bit."  
  
"The days Quistis died, she was pregnant." Fanny took over. "Pregnant with a child that was destined to have quite an incredible fate."  
  
Seifer thought he would explode from the sheer shock. Quistis couldn't have been pregnant! She had, like every other SeeD, to receive a contraceptive shot every month to prevent such things. They had decided not to have kids, feeling their lives would never be stable enough to allow a kid to grow up happily and securely.  
  
"We know about the contraceptive." Fanny explained his thoughts, smiling. "They were quite annoyed when you decided not to have children. Time was not on our side. So they had to perform a little biologic trick. Nothing hard when you rule the world, you know?"  
  
"So you can imagine their high annoyance when she died." Beth continued. "Some people think deaths are planned by Fate. In fact, that's the only thing nobody up there can plan. We plan your life and your afterlife, but the portal between them is the only place left to chaos. Isn't it strange?"  
  
"Indeed." Quistis smiled weakly, but Seifer stayed frozen.  
  
"Anyway." Fanny took back the lead. "We needed the child. He was to inherit his mother magical abilities, and his father hot-headed power. Eventually, he was to lead Balamb and Eshtar Gardens reunited and defeat Shumi insurrection."  
  
"Shumi insurrection??" Seifer half barked, half laughed. "How can these fish-men direct an insurrection? They are the most pacifics people in the world!"  
  
"That's what they pretend. Who can blame big fat men looking like huge trouts? But deep down in their village they are training moombas for war."  
  
"Moombas?" Seifer laughed so hard tears flowed down his face. The image of an army of furry red teddy bears squeaking 'Laguna!' while taking over the world was too funny to resist.  
  
"Moombas are highest forms of Shumi body. They may not look like it because of their child-like innocence and unability to speak human language, but trained properly their learning rate is four times superior to human rate, and their handling of magical abilities, 8 times. They have the unique ability to reverberate a magic spell, making the damages up to ten times higher than the usual spell. Trust me, with enough moombas, Shumi can take over Gaia and turn it into their personal playground. And they will, if nothing stand on their path."  
  
"And it would be our.son's duty?"  
  
"Yep. People tends to believe that several persons can have the same abilities, so they will choose someone else to lead Garden. But only your son would have the unique mix of your life essence, that makes him perfect for the job. All others will fail."  
  
"So.we're doomed?"  
  
"No. They apparently don't want the Shumis to rule Gaia. Apparently Shumi scientists are experimenting cloning and 'enhancing' techniques on humans and Shumis, and that bothers them. They allowed Quistis to return to her old human self, the time to conceive and carry a children again. And that is where you enter the scene, my friend."  
  
Seifer's mood instantly darkened to the point of homicidal ideas. If only they weren't already deads.  
  
"Are you insinuating I will have to play a mere sperm donor to earn my afterlife?"  
  
"Well that's pretty much the idea."  
  
"And I won't even live long enough to see my son?"  
  
"No."  
  
"This is so fucking sick!" Seifer's body sprung out of the bed, but quickly slid down to the ground, his legs no longer supporting his weight.  
  
"Indeed."  
  
"And you, you aren't saying anything?" He yelled to Quistis as she was trying to pull his limp body back on the bed.  
  
"I've accepted my fate long ago." She whispered. "I suggest you do the same."  
  
"I never believed in fate! I never-"  
  
Quistis could tell the exact moment Seifer's mind went overload, when the disconstructed trail of thoughts about life, death and love started spinning. Before she had the time to smack him and break lunatic phase, Seifer was unconscious again.  
  
Beth smacked her forehead. "Damn not again? Hyne forgive me, but I hate this man."  
  
"He's too weak to handle all this." Quistis whispered, still holding the limp body."  
  
"He won't survive fucking in this health state for sure. Well, as long as he gets to co-" Beth grumbled, but quickly cut the end of his sentence with Fanny's death glare.  
  
"Quis, you're going human tomorrow at sunrise. Then we won't be allowed to interfere anymore. Think you can handle the task?"  
  
"Yeah. Of course"  
  
"Great. You know the hotel and the room?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Then good luck." Both angels kissed the blonde goodbye, and flew out of the window, in the sun's direction whose glittering rays soon swallowed them.  
  
"Just like the old days..." She told the walls. Her heavy wings sprang out of their sheath and she gathered Seifer's body in her arms.  
  
(~I~)  
  
Beth and Fanny briefly fled over the crowded streets to find themselves sitting on the rocks just above sea level, their feet dangling in the water although not really registering the feel of it.  
  
Beth sighed loudly and searched through her thin layer of clothes, before pulling out a pack of cigarettes-Ifrit's Choice, her favorites- and a lighter.  
  
"Still can't get over that bad habit, can't you?" Fanny smiled beside her.  
  
"Ah fuck off, will you?" Beth sneered back, cigarette in mouth. She inhaled a long, delightful drag. "Damn it feels good" She murmured holding the smoke in her lungs.  
  
"You can conjure a cig in your fingers just by concentrating on it, why do you still choose to go down on Gaia and buy your packs yourselves?"  
  
"Because smoking it is the last typical human thing I remember how to do." Beth whispered, lovingly eyeing the burning stick.  
  
"Not true," Fanny playfully poked her friend's shoulder and conjured a bottle of deep amber liquid. Beth read the label.  
  
"PuPu's UFO Drink?"  
  
"Yep, 'Will make you see stars wherever you are'!"  
  
"Hyne."  
  
"Come on, you remember how to drink?" Fanny winked.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Let's celebrate our victory over Seifer Almasy, then."  
  
Beth accepted the large bottle and downed a substancial amount of the burning liquid, grimacing at the forgotten feel or alcohol sliding down her throat.  
  
"Why," She murmured against the bottle's neck, "Do I have the funny feeling we shouldn't celebrate too quickly."  
  
(~I~)  
  
Wohooo! Damn my angels are perverted :) 


End file.
